As tax season continues, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is urging residents to remain vigilant against a variety of scams targeting taxpayers. The warning comes as individuals are preparing and filing their tax returns, often sharing sensitive information such as Social Security and bank account numbers.
“This is the time of year when you’re dealing with a lot of personal information including Social Security and bank account numbers,” Comptroller Susana Mendoza said. “You’ve got to be careful not to fall victim to con artists looking to steal your identity and your money.”
A recent report from McAfee in January 2026 found that nearly one-quarter of survey respondents had lost money due to tax scams, with an average financial loss of $1,020.
One common scam involves individuals impersonating Internal Revenue Service (IRS) representatives through phone calls, texts, or emails. These communications may use aggressive tactics and can appear authentic due to advances in artificial intelligence. The IRS warns that messages may be fraudulent if they are unexpected, create urgency or threats, offer refunds or credits, pressure for personal information, or demand immediate payment.
Scammers often include the IRS logo and links resembling official government websites in their messages. They may claim that “your tax refund has been processed” or that you owe back taxes. Clicking on these links can result in theft of personal data.
The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) has also reported similar fraudulent communications appearing to originate from their agency. Residents are advised to verify any suspicious contact using information available on the official IDOR website.
The IRS provides a dedicated website for reporting tax-related fraud and offers guidance on how to identify legitimate communications from the agency. The IRS notes that initial contact is typically made via U.S.P.S. mail rather than email or text unless prior permission has been granted.
Another prevalent scam preys on anticipation around refunds by sending messages claiming delays due to verification issues and asking recipients to confirm their information through fraudulent websites designed to mimic government portals.
Other schemes include false claims from self-proclaimed tax professionals on social media offering large refunds, texts about overcharges on recent tax payments requesting users click a link for compensation, and authoritative-sounding calls demanding immediate payment while posing as members of an IRS enforcement unit.
“The bottom line is that taxpayers need to be very careful to not click on suspicious links or be bullied into giving out their personal information,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
After filing state taxes, individuals can track their refund status using the Find My Refund feature on the Illinois Office of Comptroller website. More than 822,000 people used this tool last year for updates when their return was processed. The office mails state income tax refunds within 24-48 hours after receiving authorization from IDOR.
Questions related to taxes should be directed toward the Illinois Department of Revenue. This year’s deadline for filing income taxes is Wednesday, April 15th.
The Illinois State Comptroller manages the state’s checkbook and tracks public borrowing through its Debt Registry (official website). The office promotes transparency by providing public access to financial data (official website), processes over 1.5 million payments annually (official website), and oversees financial activities across all counties in Illinois (official website). It also aims to protect taxpayer funds while delivering accurate fiscal reports (official website) and supports oversight through detailed analysis for policymakers (official website).
